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Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) is a rapid, population-based survey methodology on blindness, visual impairment and eye care services among people aged 50 years and over. Findings from RACSS and RAAB are essential as baseline data for planning of intervention programmes to eliminate avoidable blindness, and to measure achievements over time of ongoing intervention programmes.

RAAB can provide the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment, its main causes, the output and quality of eye care services, barriers, cataract surgical coverage and other indicators of eye care services in a specific geographical area.

This website aims to provide a safe storage for data from RACSS and RAAB surveys conducted worldwide. Principal Investigators are offered a free safe backup of their RAAB data files and the reports generated by the RAAB software. Users of the website can easily search and find the study that they are interested in. References to publications on individual studies are provided and can be viewed directly. If more information on a particular study is required, the user can either download the findings from the safe server or request access to this information from the principal investigator. Access to RAAB data on this website is provided as per the permission granted by the principal investigator or the organizing agency.

The aim is to bring as many as possible RAAB findings in the public domain, so that researchers can have easy access to these data. However, the owner of the data, usually the principal investigator (PI) or the donor agency, determines what information can be downloaded directly and what can be requested from the PI. We do hope that by sharing RAAB data, these can be used by more researchers and may contribute to our fight to eliminate avoidable blindness.

Visitors of the website can easily search and find the study they are interested in, either in the table or on the map. If an individual survey is selected detailed information on this study can be seen by clicking on the Info button. Then the e-mail address of the PI and the RAAB trainer is shown, references to publications can be viewed directly, and the main findings of the study are listed. The standard reports generated by the RAAB software can be downloaded, as well as the original data files, if permitted by the owner of the data. If the RAAB reports and/or original data files cannot be downloaded directly, the user can request access to this information from the owner of the data through a direct e-mail.

The repository gives detailed information of all features of RAAB and provides a list of all certified RAAB trainers that can be contacted. There are links to the websites where the RAAB software can be downloaded and to other websites that can be very usefull when preparing for a RAAB.

There are two forums on this website: one public forum for general users and a restricted forum for certified RAAB trainers only. The public forum can be used by any visitor (after registration) to ask general questions about RAAB. The forum for certified RAAB trainers is especially intended to share tips and tricks, new developments and experiences among certified RAAB trainers.

Click the TO REPOSITORY button to begin your search. In the search box, the name of a country, state (province, department, major region, etc.), district (county, city, etc.) or the year can be entered. When the fields for state and district are empty, the RAAB covered the entire country. ‘N/A’ means that the information is not available.

Health Information Services respects the privacy of all its contacts and web site visitors. We aim to use personal information fairly, keep it secure and make sure it is accurate and up to date. The following guidelines outline how we collect and use personal information on and off-line.

Health Information Services does not collect any personally-identifiable information about you (e.g. name, address, telephone number, email address) unless you have provided it to us voluntarily via form, post or email. If you do not want your personal data collected, please do not submit it to us. We may use the personal data you give us to send you information on our activities that may be of interest to you. If requested, and once identity has been verified, we will give you details of all your personal information held by Health Information Services. Any incorrect information will be deleted or amended promptly and you will receive confirmation of corrections and deletions. Requests must be sent by email or post and a response will be sent within 20 working days.

The information on this web site is published by Health Information Services. Great care has been taken to verify the ownership of the data and to obtain permission of the rightful owners to make this information available. This information is made available for research purposes. Commercial use is not permitted.